Cocktail bar from Ghibellina, Acqua al 2 owner coming to Penn Quarter

Liquor Bar, a cocktail bar from restaurateur Ari Gejdenson, will open at Sixth and F streets NW across from Verizon Center, according to building owner Douglas Development Corp.

Gejdenson has made a name for himself in the District in recent years with Italian restaurant concepts Acqua al 2 on Capitol Hill and Ghibellina on 14th Street NW. He also owns Harold Black, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar above Acqua al 2 that only accepted reservations via text message when it first opened. (It has since moved to a reservation system through CityEats.)

Liquor Bar will occupy a 2,000 square-foot, lower-level space below Fuel Pizza at 600 F St. NW, also known as the Oriental Building Association building, next door to the Shakespeare Theater Company.

The space will have a “European hotel bar” feel, including round leather booths and brass finishes. A menu of craft cocktails, Scotches and other “fine spirits” and craft beers will make up the beverage menu. A small food menu will also be available.

Liquor Bar is just the latest in more upscale spots moving east of Verizon Center. While Penn Quarter has long done well on the upscale casual front, Sixth Street has been more prone to chain restaurants and Asian restaurant holdouts. But the corridor has seen a growing cadre of independent eateries popping up in recent years, from Mike Isabella’s Graffiato and Daikaya izakaya bar and ramen shop to the recently opened Flight Wine bar at Sixth and H streets NW.

Liquor Bar is slated to open by late summer, according to the landlord.

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